A typical packaging unit for packaging materials such as foodstuffs includes a weighing station for weighing a predetermined amount of material to be packaged and a funnel which receives and then discharges the weighed material to a bag or other receptacle. There is a tendency for the material to clog in the funnel. As should be apparent, clogging dramatically reduces the speed at which the packaging unit can operate. This is a particular problem when potatoes are packaged. Due to their irregular shape and size, there is a regular tendency for potatoes to stick within the funnels disrupting the packaging process.
This problem of clogging, particularly in food packaging and even more particularly in potato packaging was addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,889, issued to Alan Mueller on Mar. 26, 1991. Recognizing that clogging of the funnel is a problem, Mueller vibrated a carousel upon which funnel shaped hoppers were mounted. The carousel was vibrated in two separate directions in order to keep foodstuffs from becoming stuck in the funnel. However, the problem with vibrating the carousel is that it can further wedge foodstuffs within the funnel. Once the product such as potatoes become wedged in the funnel, there is a tendency for vibration of the funnel to further wedge the potatoes and to wedge other potatoes as well.